Sick
by TacticianZephine
Summary: Due to a rare blood condition, Narcissa Black has limitations. But, due to her overprotective parents, she has no clue what they actually are.
1. Routine

**So, I'm working on this new fic. Um, I don't think I've mentioned this previously, but my Narcissa has a blood condition. A full description of it can be found on the Facebook page for TZ. It's not a major player ****later in her life, but in her early years, it defined her life.**

**Anyway, I don't own the rights to the Harry Potter franchise, the Moss family is kind of my idea, Holly will eventually become the mother of Pansy Parkinson.**

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For eleven-year-old Narcissa Black, routine was everything.

At seven o'clock in the morning, her mother would wake her up. A short while later, Kritter, a house-elf, would bring up her breakfast. After breakfast, clothing for the day, then she would move about her room for a few hours, reading, practicing piano, drawing, doing anything to amuse herself, really. Lunch was again brought up to her by Kritter. More time spent amusing herself, then around five-thirty, she would leave her room for dinner, making her way down to the dining room. Then, bath, and bed by ten at the latest.

Her routine was made necessary, in her mother's eyes, by her condition, a blood disease called Thalassem's Poisoning. It was quite serious, but only when left untended-to.

She didn't know the severeity, however, because although she was in possession of a great many nonfiction books, she'd never read anything about her condition. Her mother and father didn't permit it. She had limitations, certainly, as many chronically ill children do, but she couldn't tell you what they were. She wasn't allowed to do anything.

She wasn't permitted to go outside, it could lower her body temperature even further than it already was, especially during the winter. If she got a bruise or a cut or a scrape, she wouldn't stop bleeding on her own. She would sometimes get light-headed, because her heart didn't beat as fast and her blood pressure wasn't as high so sometimes, not enough blood could get to her head. Sometimes, she'd even faint.

The truth was, she was a very, very sick little girl. Her father even spoke of keeping her home from Hogwarts. She wasn't supposed to know about that, she'd been told by Kritter. She'd cried for an hour, wouldn't eat for days, and barely talked. It had devastated her.

She didn't doubt that she would be taught at home, by her mother, but it was just one more way that she was different. One more thing that made her a freak. But of course it must be done. She couldn't deviate from her routine. Her illness would dictate the rest of her life.

Or so she thought.


	2. Holly

**This fic is rated T right now, because it will contain T-level content later on.**

* * *

Nicholas Moss had been close friends with Cygnus Black for years, but he'd never heard him speak of his youngest daughter. He didn't even know he had a third one, actually. Not many people knew. Nicholas's own daughter was just about her first year of school, and they'd stopped by the Black household, purely for a social visit.

Holly had decided to explore the house. On the top floor, though, she encountered a section of wall that looked... off. She tapped it a little, and it slid aside, revealing a door. It was locked, but she heard a piano playing behind it, so there had to be someone in there, right?

"_Alohomora_." She pointed her wand at the lock. It clicked, and she pushed the door open.

Inside the room, it was quite warm, but only in temperature. It was small, heated by a fireplace near the bed. The only window in the room. was rather large, and would open onto a small balcony. There were a few basic pieces of furniture, a bed, a desk, a wardrobe. The walls were white, or, at least, the little of the walls that was visible was white. Most of the walls were concealed by bookshelves. Far too many books for a normal child.

An upright piano stood in the corner of the room, and a girl sat at it, playing Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata perfectly. She was perhaps Holly's age, with blonde hair down to her waist. She was wearing what seemed to be a pink dress, a thick pink sweater and knee-high white socks.

She carefully walked up behind her, and peered over her shoulder. Her fingers were as pale as the ivory they were ghosting over.

After a minute, she gently touched her shoulder. She jumped about a mile and hit a sour chord, knocking over the bench. Her wide, blue eyes fell on her, and the cover for the keys slammed shut of its own accord.

Holly backed away from her, holding up her hands. "I'm not gonna hurt you, I just-"

The girl, whose expression hadn't change from its weird serenity, looked at her. "You frightened me," she accused.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I just heard you playing... and you're very good."

"I'm not allowed guests. Who are you?"

"My name's Holly Moss. My father's a friend of Mr. Black's," she explained. "What's your name?"

"Narcissa. Narcissa Black. You probably know my sisters, if you go to Hogwarts. Bella's in... I think she'll be a Fifth Year... and I think Andi will be a Third Year."

"I'm supposed to start in September, and yes, I know Bellatrix and Andromeda, because of Daddy. There's something funny about her, Andromeda, and Bellatrix isn't very nice."

"No, she's not."

"What year are you in?"

"I'm not." She looked down. "Father says I'm not going to school in September."

"Why?"

"It's my blood condition... I can't get cold... I can't even go outside... I don't get to see other children very much, just my sisters. Father thinks that meeting new people upsets me, but I don't mind it much."

"So, he's not letting you even go to school?"

"No. Mother's trying to change his mind."

"Don't you _want_ to go to school?"

"Yes. I'd like to. Not just so I can learn like my sisters, but... it'd be nice to make friends."

Holly bit her lip, and opened her mouth to speak again, but heard someone shouting from downstairs. "Holly! We're going!"

"Coming, sir!" she called back, then looked back at her. "... It was very nice to meet you."

"You too."


	3. Fun Fact

**And so begins Holly's long streak of meddling in Narcissa's life. No problem.**

* * *

That evening, Holly looked at her mother and father. "Did you know that Mr. Black's not letting his youngest daughter go to school?"

"What? Andromeda goes to Hogwarts, dear," Daisy said, not looking away from the toddler she was trying to feed. "You know that."

"No, no, not Andromeda, Narcissa. She says she's not supposed to see people, and she says her father isn't letting her go to Hogwarts in September."

"... There's only two girls, isn't there, Nick?" Daisy looked at her husband across the table. "Isn't there?"

"I thought so. Who's this one?"

"She's my age, and she's really pale, like, even for the Black Family. And she's skinny. Too skinny, if you ask me. She's got blue eyes, and blonde hair, and she's really nice. She isn't supposed to come out of her room, but I found her and we talked a little."

"... Do you know why she's not allowed to leave her room?" Nicholas asked, a little doubtful of his daughter's statements.

"She says she's ill. She didn't say with what."

"Hm. Well, maybe we'll stop by to talk to Cygnus tomorrow."

"... Yes, Daddy."

"Good. Now, finish your food."

"Yes, Daddy."


	4. Convince

**Guys... review, please? I'd really like to know what people think of this fic.**

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The next day, the Moss family stopped by the Black residence. Cygnus was the only one home, Druella and the older girls were shopping.

"Nicholas, Daisy, Holly, hello," he greeted warmly. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Holly was a... a little concerned about something she saw upstairs yesterday."

"Oh? What was it?"

"She says she encountered a girl about her age."

Cygnus paled. "What... what were you doing up there?" he asked the girl.

"I was exploring."

The man sighed, then looked to a house-elf walking by. "Kritter, can you restart the fire and bring Narcissa down?"

Holly looked at her parents as the elf Disapparated. "Told you she was real!"

The Moss family followed Cygnus into the drawing room, which had been heated by a roaring fire, and sat down.

The house-elf reappeared with the little blond girl. She somehow looked a little paler than the day before, her blue eyes a little duller, her entire appearance a little more sad. Perhaps it was being in this room, which was done up in dark greens and grays and silver, instead of her room, which was basically the same color as her skin.

She'd been dressed in a little blue skirt and white peasant blouse, but the entire effect was slightly wrecked by the blue sweater she'd hastily pulled over her bare arms.

"Narcissa, dear, say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Moss, I believe you know Holly."

"Hello," the girl half-whispered.

"Oh, why, aren't you a pretty little thing!" Daisy bubbled. "Why haven't we met this one?"

"Narcissa isn't well, I'm afraid. She has Thalassem's Poisoning, you ought to know what that is, Nicholas. She doesn't go out very much, it's too stressful for her, and the outside air could lower her body temperature much more than it already is."

"And what will happen when she goes to school?" Nicholas asked.

"Oh, she won't be, I'm afraid. It's too much of a deviation from her routine, and meeting that many people will upset her."

"Oh..."

Holly looked at Narcissa, who was looking down into her own lap. She knew the other girl was crying, though.

"But what if she had a friend?" she piped up.

Every adult looked at her.

"What if she had someone at school that she knew? Then it would be easier for her, wouldn't it?"

"Holly, that's a very good idea," Nicholas looked at his friend. "As much as I admire your devotion to keeping your daughter safe, social interaction would be good for her, especially if she has a friend already. The school nurse would be there whenever she's needed, and Bellatrix and Andromeda would already be around."

"... I suppose you're right."

Narcissa's head shot up, and she blinked at her father. "I'm going?" she asked hoarsely.

"Yes. If the school sticks to a schedule, your letter should arrive in the next day or two, with your sisters'. You should've gotten it already, but I suppose they prefer to send letters for families all at once."


	5. Letter

**It's been brought to my attention that I never mentioned a quick inspiration for this. It is based a little off of Shilo in Repo! The Genetic Opera, but Ciss _actually_ ****has a blood condition. I wasn't even thinking of Repo! when I started this.**

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The very next morning, Kritter popped into Narcissa's room quite excitedly. "Miss!" she squeaked.

"Yes?" Narcissa asked, not looking up from her book.

"Your letter, Miss!"

Now the girl looked up. "What?"

"The letter from Hogwarts, Miss, it came with the others. Mistress hasn't seen it yet, but-"

A shrill scream ripped through the house, followed by a _thud!_

"... I think Mother fainted." Narcissa stood, smoothing her skirt, and looked to Kritter. "Well, perhaps we ought to go get it."

**  
Narcissa peeked into the kitchen. "Mother? Is something..."

Druella hugged her daughter tightly. "Oh, sweetheart! Your letter!"

She yelped. "Mother! Mother, you're bruising! Mother, please!"

Druella let go. "I'm sorry, dear. But... here, open it!"

The letter was handed to her, and she opened it carefully.

"I know we've all gotten the letter, but read it out loud, sweetheart."

"... 'Dear Miss Black... We are pleased to inform you... that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry... Please find enclosed a list of... all necessary books and equipment... Term begins on September 1... We await your owl by no later than July 31'... Mother... Mother, I'm going!" she beamed excitedly. "I'm really going!"

"Oh, we'll have to go shopping today, then! But, first, I have to write to the school to tell them about the kind of care you will require, sweetheart."

"May I do it? The letter says they await _my_ owl... I know what they mean, but... may I?"

Druella nodded. "Of course, dear. Simply tell them of your condition, and that even though this will prove a difficulty, you have decided to attend school."

**  
"All right, Druella, you take the girls to get their things, I'll take Narcissa for her wand and things, and we'll meet up by four o'clock."

"All right, dear."


End file.
